The sounds of ridicule equate to the sound of a cash register for Justin’s camp. Those schoolyard jabs about him looking like a girl? Or those stereotyping psuedo-homophobic comments about him being “probably gay”? Well laugh all you want, because Justin Bieber is laughing too; all the way to the bank. He will be fine regardless of what you say or do, but what about you? What does the hatred say about you?

You can go ahead and unfollow me right now if you can’t stomach someone sticking up for a talented 16 year old who is the object of hatred from so many people. When it comes down to it, I will not hate on a child, a 16 year old child, who is living his dream. You can rip apart Britney Spears or Lady Gaga, and I will usually look the other way seeing as they are adults, but a 16 year old? If you were as high and mighty as you are acting, then you would probably rise above ridiculing a kid. For those over 18, you should have better things to do than feel threatened by the presence of a famous minor.

Many preach that they wish their artists were actually talented, and when someone finally comes along that can play 4 instruments, sing, and dance, they toss them aside for petty reasons or conforms to stigmas. Is there no pleasing people? Yet less-talented recent manufactured flukes of the pop machine get off scot-free. Is it his looks? His age? His incredibly annoying fan-base? (Yes it’s true, they are insane).

Many people, when questioned, cannot pinpoint what they don’t like about him, save for “I don’t care for his music” Well to each his own, everyone has different tastes, and that is understandable, but is that enough reason to HATE? Usually people can’t name any one particular thing he has done to deserve so much hate. He never says really stupid/ignorant things in red carpet interviews, he never slams other celebs, and really he’s kind of charismatic as even some of his haters will admit. Some of the only times he has said anything “wrong” is when he was purposely misquoted, ie: that Rolling Stone article (who later retracted)

The fact of the matter is that he is doing pretty well at handling the immense stress and pressures (which most of his haters can’t even begin to fathom) of the entertainment industry generally well for a 16 year old. So maybe if you want to hate you should direct your hate at his record label, his producers, his managers, or any adults in charge of making real decisions for him, and just give this adolescent some leeway. Most likely when you were younger, your every move wasn’t broadcast for the world to judge, and there weren’t grown adults hoping that you fail.

-Brandon Joseph (unrelated to article pictured)